Method of and means for transforming oscillatory movement into rotary movement



N0vl, 1932- G. H. scHlEr-'ERSTEIN 1,885,553

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR TBANSFORMING OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT INTO ROTARY MOVEMENT Filed Jan. 15, 1929 Patented Nov.y 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATE-NT OFFICE GEORG HEINRICH SCHIEFERSTEIN, F BEELIN-CHABLOTTENBUEG, GERMANY METHOD 0F AND MEANS EOE TRANSFOBMING OSCILLATOBY MOVEMENT INTO ROTARY MOVEMENT Application led January 15, 1929, Serial No.

4 This invention relates to a method of and mechanism for converting oscillatory into rotary motion.

The invention is based on the discovery 5 that oscillatory units, the amplitude of oscillation of which, when in the loaded condition, varies in accordance with the dimensions of the loading resistance, still completely or approximately completel retain 1g their frequency of oscillation, and t iat consequently, in combination with rotary systems, such oscillatory systems are in general applicable as automatically variable gears.

In the'practical working out of such a combination, however, it is also found that a'n automatically variable gear is not obtained unless the oscillator energy can be translmitted, together wit its characteristic va.-

rlations in amplitude, to a rotary system; 2c and 'in .all cases this necessitates either a member which partakes in the. rotational movement, with a longer or shorter stride, similarly to a free .wheel mechanism, or the provision of a member which is adapted to slip in accordance with the resistance.

The first solution entails certain complications and necessitates the employment of unidirectional precisionv mechanism, while the second, on the other hand, consumes by no means inconsiderable amounts of energy in slipping, thereby generating heat and giving inferior efficiency.

The present invention contemplates a new method for transmitting energy between oscillatory and rotary systems, and mechanism for carryin out this method, which, in accordance wlth the foregoing, represent the combination of oscillatory and rotary mechanism forautomatically modifying the transmission ratio.

The desired effect is obtained by causing a mass which describes circulatory oscillations to compress periodically an annular 4elastic medium on its periphery, and thus to initiate and maintain a rolling operation whose rotationalcomponents can be directly transmitted to rotary members.

In order to more clearly understand the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing which illustrates diagram- 332,707, and in Germany January 15, 1928.

matically and by way of example several embodiments thereof.

Figure 1 is a-longitudinal section, and

Fig. 1a an elevation thereof of a typical embodiment of the invention. g5

F ig. 1b is a dia rammatic illustration of the operation of tie embodiment'shown in Fig. 1 with the outer body held `fixed.

Fig. 1c is a dia rammatic illustration of the operation of t e embodiment shown in Fig. 1 with the outer body loose.

Fig. 2 is a detail of 'a type of loose cou- Pline- Fig. 2 shows apart of the mass in sectio with loose coupling, inside view.v

Fig. 3 shows a practical embodiment of my device.

Fig. 4 shows how the structures of Fig. 1 may be assembled for balancing.

Fig. 5 is a diagram, and 70 Fig. 6 is a modification.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 1 of the drawing, 1 designates the energizing flexible shaft,

-the terminal portion of which is journaled in the oscillator mass 2, which is in the form 'I5 of a hollow bo y. To this end of the shaft 1 is 'attached a threaded spindle 3, here shown within the hollow body 2, carrying a weight 'member 4 that'unbalances the shaft and the moment of inertia and force of which is caau pable of being changed. 5 is an elastic annular body of rubber, which is mounted on a hollow body 6 rotatably supported on a pedestal and surrounds the hollow body 2, and which to some `extent resembles a solid or ss pneumatic rubber tire. This latter body 2 is connected with the shaft 10 by means of a slip coupling comprising two coupling flanges 7 and 9 and a coupling ring 8 lying therebetween in such a manner that it can give way laterally in any direction but actuates the shaft 10 m a positive manner during its rotational movements.

Although couplingsfulfilling these conditions are known, an embodiment of such a coupling is illustrated in Figures 2 and' 2* ofthe accompanyin 'drawing to facilitate the comprehension o the invention.

. When the hollow bod 6 is in any way hindered in its rotation, or'example by brak- 10o ing `it by feather key 18, the mechanisml represented in Fig, 1 operates in the following manner: Y

In rotating,fthe unbalancing weight member 4 displaces the centre of mass and gravity of the entirehollow body 2 in unison with its speed, that is to say, the elastic medium 5 is compressed (or kneaded) on its periphery by the hollow body, under the action of the unbalancing weight member 4. Since this compression or deformation of the elastic medium 5 occurs, with constant phase displacement, behind the rotating unbalancing weightK member, the annular body 2 rolls, as it were, when moved on the annular body 5 and on a larger radius thanl corresponds 'to' the radius of the hollow body 2 and that ofthe elastic annular body when at rest. For a. flexure f, if the radius of rolling of the hollow, or solid,

rubber bodyv 5- be practically R, andthat of the oscillatory hollowvbody 2 be 1', there must result, for each revolution ofthe unbalanced ,weight member 4 a difference of =Rffrwr in the path traversed by saidbody, hence the hollow body 2 must lag, by this difference,

-behindthe annular body 6 at each revolution ofthe unbalancing weight member.-

The transmission' ratio in each c'ase thus works out'as However, since 7 isa variable amplitude,

. effect-increases the interior radius ofjthe an- 40 nular body 5 and therefore produces a rolling effect ofthe body 2 on the rings 5. The degree of iexure of the annular body 5, or the amplitudeY f, depends on Vthe damping 'sustained :By the whole arrangement, or on the resistance which the entire arrangement has 'to' overcome. If this resistance continually .var-1es,'the amplitudeof oscillation and. the exure f vary accordingly, and the transmis-I sion ratio varies in the same proportion. The mechanism thus 'acts'as a self-adjusting, continuously variable transmission gear.

'If the annular body 6 and the resilient means 5 are held fixed against rotation while' the mass 2 oscillates circularly and is loose on its shaft, the elastic means will be periodicallycompressed at its periphery, that is, during the compression anormal. force N isl transmitted by the elastic means on .thejoscil-l lating mass. 2 or an axial pressure is exerted onthe shaft. I

. 'This normal force force and has the ,magnitude R= aN, where y.

yproduces a rictional ,torce which is perpendicular to .the normal y{oscillatory operation' or the rolling or rotament of the member producingthe normal force, that is, in this case against the circula-rly swinging mass 2, or of the member acted uponby the normal force which produces -the frictional force, the frictional force therefore produces a rotary movement of mass 2 in the direction of the frictional force R and opposite the/direction of the circular oscillation and, with it, inthe rotational direction of the unbalanced member 4.

If on the contrary,vthe inner mass 2 is held fixed and .the outer annular member 6 with the elastic means 5 are journaled loosel on the shaft, the reaction of the rictional orce R or theperipher'al force of the ixed 'mass acts on the 'outer wheel, that is, this moves in the ldirectionof the circular oscillation and in the direction of the rotary movement of theunbalanced member 4.

Thus, for example, as a practical application of the present invention, each of the two driving. wheels of a vehicle can be fitted u l substantially as represented diagrammatica ly in Figure 3. In the rotation of the two unbalanced weight members 4, which are offset at 180, 'the two hollowlbodies 2 (which are prevented from rotation by correspond- -ing clutch'mechanism) describe circular 'oscillations which produce a rolling effect actuating thetwowheel rims 6. Since the peripheral velocity of each wheel rim adjusts itself in accordance with the resistance -presat the same' time as a diterential gear, in travelling around curves, in which case, vas is well known, the two wheels encounter differ- 'ent'resistances Fundamentally, it is immaterial whether the elasticv annular body 5 is secured to the -rigid. annular body '6, so that the body 2 de- A scribes a combined oscillatory and rolling movement, orwhether the annular body 5 1s secured to the hollow body 2, and the rolling ent for the time being, the device also acts movement takes place between 'the -elastic body 5 and the rigid body 6. Inv the lattert case, however, the stressing of the elastic medium is generally lessfavorable than' inthe also bedesigned as a hollow body, and may for eXample,-besimilar to a pneumatic tire. `11`ig .,4'represents four of the sets .of mech- .formen The annularbody 5'may, of course, *A

.ani'sm shown in Fig. -1- coupled together in such a way that the iniuence of the oscilla- I Atory systems as' well asl the influence of the unbalanced members balance each other.'

.The unbalanced members, two of which are vwithin the oscillatory, units and with the same displacement, oscillations that. counteracteach other externally in respect of4 .force and inertia action, withoutaiecting in detail the disposed in the vsame direction, and two o's'etby 180 in -relation thereto, naturally set up,-

are particularly suitable for vehicles and machines which must not be subjected to vibration, but in which the transmission ratio must adjust itself automatically in accordance with the resistance, for example, in the case of motor lorries, pit locomotives, lifting nlchines, planing machines, lathes and the If a tractor of the type illustrated in Fig. 3 be provided with two sets of gear which are not balanced with respect of the action of force and inertia, the periodical action of force or inertia is utilized, in this case, in order to increase the reaction of the tractor to the ground periodically.` The reaction of a tractor with uniform power drive is based 4 solely on the adhesion, due to the weight of the tractor, between the driving wheels and the ground. If the adhesion be increased, as in the presentinstance, by the periodical ac tion of force, the tractive power of the tractor is increased. o

In Fig. 5, this operation is illustrated by a curve. The tractive force of a uniform power tractor is expressed by the ordinates y. lSince this tractlve power is steadily and continuously exerted, when the uniformpower principle is applied, the work performed in the time 'w is represented by A=a:.y. If, in applying the variable power principle in the sense of the present invention, the maximum force of reaction is increased to y1=2y, by the periodical action of force, say in accordance with the sine law, a working curve isobtained which approximately follows the course of the curve OA, B, C, D, E and so on.- The working diagram comprised by this curve corresponds in its details to the working diagram y since the section ABC can be brought into the osit-ion CDE by rotation through180. 'Fhe work performed therefore remains the same, whereas the force of reaction, and accordingly the adhesion between wheel and track has risen to double. Since the tractive power of a tractor depends solely on the maximum force, and not on the work, the tractive power is increased to a corresponding extent.

The coupling shown in liig. 2 consists of the two discs 7 and 9, and an intermediate square plate 8, indicated by broken lines.

Four rollers 14 fast on the coupling disc 7 engage the intermediate plate 8 on opposite parallel sides and permit it to describe movements in one direction in relation to the disc 7. Four rollers 15 mounted on the disc 9 engage the other two parallel sides of the intermediate plate 8 and permit a relative movement between 8 and 9 in a direction at an angle .of 90 in relation to the first movement.V .In effect therefore, the co'upllng enables relative displacement to occur between Tand 9 in any desired radial direction, while preventing any rotational movement between 7 and 9.

air'

The embodiments hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the drawing, are given merely by way of example, since it is possible to produce the most divergent combinations by changing the elastic medium and masses.l Moreover, the` principle of converting` oscillatory into rotary movement underlying the invention, is not intended to be restricted to any specific details, and particularly to the intentional employment o coupling members of fixed dimensions in place of the variable loose coupling.

If it be desired to convert oscillatory into rotational movementswithout thereby obtaining an automatic variation in the ratio of transmission, then, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the oscillating `body 2, describing circular oscillations of constant amplitude, can be so designed as to allow it to rotate, for example, on a crank 17. All the, other effects then adjust themselves accordingly, inthe manner hereinbefore described.

` I claim- -1. Mechanism for transforming oscillatory into rotary movement, which comprises a mass and elastic means on which the mass rolls and is deformed thereby, a drivin shaft connected to the mass, a driven sha t for said means and a yielding connecting means between said means and driven shaft.

2. Mechanism for automatically varying the speed ratio in an oscillatory system, comprising a mass and an elastic member cooperating therewith and upon which the mass power of said transmitting means into osciln latory form of relatively small force and relatively high speed in automatically varying ratios, and means to transmit said oscillatory power into oscillatory power` of relatively high force and relatively low speed, and

`means to transformv the latter oscillatory power into rotary forces. 4. Mechanism for transforming'mechanical forces and speeds, which comprises rotary 12 power transmitting means, oscillatory means to translate said power into oscillatory power having a relatively high speed component and small force component, and means to translatevsaid oscillatory power into small speed 1 component and high force component.

5. Mechanism for transforming mechanical forces and speeds, which comprises driving means, means having opposed masses to produce oscillating forces whose maximum is vertical, andmeans to translate said oscillay tory forces into'rotary forces. I

6. A mechanism comprising driving means,

j a plurality of gyrators driven thereby,

means to which said -gyrat-ors transmit their motion, elastic means with which said latter means co-act to produce a'circular roll'- ing movement thereof, means for displacing the phases of gyra-tion, and means to trans'T late the gyratory movement into circular movement. .i y'

7. In a device for transforming gyrating motion into rotary motion, comprising a mass, means to' gyrate said mass,- a ringshaped elastic means cooperating with the mass and deformed bythe gyrations of the mass whose radius of rotation isvaried and controlled .byl said elastic mean.s,'a 'rotary driven member and means to transmit rotary movement from the gyratinor mass to said member.

8." n a device for transforming rotary oscillations into rotary movement, a gyrating member, a mass to. gyrate said member, ringshaped elastic means surrounding said member and mass, said member fle-forming said elastic n/ ieans during its gyrations and thereby caused to roll,.a driven rotary device and means to device. v

9. In a device for. transforming oscillating movement into rotary movement; a driven gyratory weight, a member containing said weight, a second member surrounding the first member, elastic means between the two members surrounding the first member and deformed by the rolling of the first member on the-elastic means, said rolling caused by the gyrations of said Weight," a driven shaft i. `and a connection-between the first member' and shaft p ermittii'ifr excentric movement of said first member with respect to said shaft.

shaft and first member permitting excentric movement of the first member while transmittino rotary movement of the shaft.

. a driving shaft, a Weightadjustable excentrically thereto, a hollow mass in which said shaft and weight are mounted, a member -spaced from and surrounding the mass, a

rubber ring secured to the member and engaging the mass and on which the latter rolls, a driven shaft and a. clutch between themass and shaft permitting excentric movement of the mass with respect to the shaft.-

yieldingly connect the member and v 12. Iii a' device -for` transforming rotary oscillatory movement into rotation, a driven sectional shaft the sections of which are loosely coupled together, an adjustable weight excentric to each section, an oscillating mass .on each section surrounding the weight thereon, a loose coupling between the masses, Va member surrounding each mass, elastic rings between the member and masses, the Weights of the respective members being A angularly displaced to produce gyrations displaced in phase, a rotary ldriven member and aA loose coupling between 4the last mass and driven member to drivethe latter while permitting excentric movements of the latter.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' v GEORG HEINRICH SCHIEFERSTEIN.

n a device for transforming rotary oscillating movement into rotary movement, 

